


tell me about your stars

by eab5c5



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Best Friends to Ex Best Friends to Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Confident Na Jaemin, Friendship, Happy ending don't worry, M/M, Nerd Lee Jeno, Popular Na Jaemin, Shy Lee Jeno, there's barely any angst i'm sry, this is supposed to be mostly cute with a side of spice uwu, whew that's a mouthful
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21870016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eab5c5/pseuds/eab5c5
Summary: There are not a lot of things Jaemin regrets. Life is better lived without regrets in his opinion, but when his grades in school are less-than-savory and his rich father cuts off his funds Jaemin is forced to confront one of those very few regrets. Namely the boy who used to be his best friend before Jaemin ditched him and never spoke to him again. Oh, and no one thought to mention to him that Jaemin would be working with said ex-best friend for the foreseeable future. Funny how life works out like that.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Side Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Comments: 7
Kudos: 152
Collections: DreamXmas 2019





	tell me about your stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [homerunning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/homerunning/gifts).



> Dear Casey,
> 
> Although this wasn't your prompt I really hope you enjoy reading this fic (if you choose to do so)! I will admit it was a bit hard for me to write because even though I loved the idea I was continuously hit with writer's block. Somehow I managed to finish it at the last minute! I do apologize if the writing is a little off and the pacing somewhat lackluster because of that. No matter what I really did enjoy making this and I hope that it shows! Happy holidays and may your time spent be as warm and sweet as a cup of hot cocoa. ♡
> 
> +++
> 
> Rated Teen for Language and Minor Make Out Scene

“Did you go in yet?” 

“No.” 

Jaemin hears the sound of bubblegum popping on the other end of the line and sighs. He knows exactly what’s coming next. 

“What do you mean no? Jaemin, we talked about this,” Donghyuck huffs, and the younger boy rolls his eyes as he rounds the street corner. It’s not like Donghyuck is exaggerating. He’s the one who told Jaemin to get a job in the first place ever since Jaemin’s father cut off his funds. “Until you bring your grades up and he gives you your money back you’re gonna have to make your own. By working. I’m not paying for this apartment by myself.” 

“Yeah, yeah, but a café, Hyuck? That’s beneath me.” 

Donghyuck deadpans, “You think everything is beneath you, Jaemin.” 

“Well...” 

“Anyways, listen. Just, ugh, you already had your interview and they accepted you, so you might as well actually go in on your first day. If it really, really, _really_ sucks then you can try and find another job.” 

“I don’t want another job, Hyuck. I want my money.” 

“Tell that to your calculus grade, prick. I’m hanging up now, and I don’t want to hear a word from you until your shift is over or else I’m locking you out.” 

“Hey, wait-!” The call ends. “Donghyuck!” 

Of fucking course he’d hang up on him. Jaemin dials him back but the call goes straight to voice mail. He leaves a few choice words in the older boy’s inbox before shoving his phone into his back pocket and grumbling to himself. _Stupid_ _Donghyuck_ _, stupid calculus, stupid dad for hoarding all my money_. 

Just a few buildings down the street he spots the little café he interviewed at last week. 

Jaemin wants to turn and walk in the other direction far away from it. They’d probably call him if he though... Besides, if Donghyuck ever found out he skipped Jaemin would probably be more than just locked out. Donghyuck could _kick him out_ if he really wanted to. (He had the apartment first, so technically it was his.) 

“I don’t want to get locked out,” is what Jaemin tells himself as he gets closer to the shop, making poor attempts to psych himself up and actually walk through the door. After a minute or two of loitering in the street he’s finally inside the building. The bell announcing his presence jingles behind him as the door closes. It’s warm in the café. Warmer than outside at least, where the weather is sitting somewhere between the end of fall and early winter. It also smells like sweet cinnamon and coffee when Jaemin breathes in. 

“Oh, Jaemin, you’re here!” 

He almost chokes on his own air when a voice surprises him. Jaemin looks around to see the owner of the café, a tall man by the name of Johnny, walk out from behind the counter with boxes in his arms and a smile on his face. Suddenly Jaemin feels awkward and small. Maybe it’s because he’s shorter than Johnny. Maybe it’s because Johnny’s an American. 

“Uh, yeah, hi, sir,” he swallows and tries to smile back at the man. “I start today, right?” 

“Yes, one second.” 

Johnny places the boxes down on one of the tables and dusts off his apron before walking towards the boy. Even with his welcoming smile Jaemin is still intimidated. 

“First off, thanks for coming in. Most of our applicants don’t show up after the interview,” he says. Jaemin doesn’t feel like mentioning that the only reason he showed up is because his roommate forced him to with an ultimatum. “Second, our changing room is in the back. Just go through the kitchen and it’s the door on your left. There’s a name tag on your locker and a uniform inside. Just change into that right now and then we can get started on training you.” 

“Okay...thanks.” 

Jaemin isn’t sure whether he’s supposed to continue the conversation or not. Johnny is still smiling at him when the boy eventually dips his head and walks around him towards the kitchen. Just like Johnny had said, when he makes his way past the island there’s a door to his left with a plaque declaring ‘LOCKER ROOM’ in bold black letters. Jaemin takes a deep breath and opens the door. 

He expects it to be empty. 

“Is that you, Johnny? I think my shirt is stuck again.” 

There’s another boy in the room with his shirt bunched up around his head, and when Jaemin’s eyes – involuntarily, he might add – look down he sees well-defined abs and a toned chest. Not that he’s staring or anything. 

“Um, not Johnny.” he manages to say. 

The door closes behind him and he watches as the boy turns away and tries to pull his shirt down. He sounds embarrassed as he stutters out a muffled apology and finally gets the uniform over his head. The boy is bleach blonde from what Jaemin can see of the back of his head, and the shirt he’s wearing is definitely two sizes too small if the way it wraps around his bicep is any indicator. 

“Are you the new guy then?” he asks Jaemin, still not turning around as he dons his apron and starts tying it behind him. 

“Yeah.” 

“Your locker might be over there then,” he says, pointing to the left. When he’s finally done putting on his apron he turns around. “I hope we’ll get...along...oh.” 

_Oh,_ indeed. 

“Jaemin?” 

The boy is looking at him with wide eyes and it takes a few moments for Jaemin’s brain to register what he’s seeing. Of course, as if his luck couldn’t get any worse, the boy standing across from him is none other than Lee Jeno. The very same Lee Jeno that Jaemin used to grow up with and call his best friend. Before he cut Jeno out of his life in their freshman year of high school and never thought about him until now, as he stands before Jaemin. 

“Jeno?” 

Jeno is staring at him like he’s a ghost. Jaemin is just wondering how the hell this Jeno is the very same person he stopped talking to when they turned fourteen. Back then Jeno was shorter than Jaemin, and skinner. He had glasses for his poor eyesight and was about as nerdy as a pair of suspenders, so, a lot. Jaemin just couldn’t associate with that anymore once they reached high school, especially when he was becoming so popular. Now, years later, it appears that Jeno is the same height as him. He’s wearing a polo that hugs his arms a little too much because now he has _muscles_. His jaw is more defined without the baby fat of a preteen and he seems sure of himself in the way he displays his posture, so unlike the boy who used to follow Jaemin’s lead for just about anything. At least, that last part might be more of a half truth, as Jeno realizes Jaemin is staring back at him and shrinks a bit. 

He hunches his shoulders and quickly swipes his visor off the bench. “I’ll just, uh, leave you to change.” he blurts and speed walks out of the room, leaving Jaemin standing there alone. 

There are a million thoughts running through Jaemin’s head as he changes into his uniform. Most of them are about Jeno. He’s still trying to reconcile the version of Jeno that he remembers with the one he just saw a few minutes ago. _When did he change so much?_

Unlike Jeno he doesn’t get stuck in his uniform and is finished changing before the hands of the clock one the wall even move. He’s technically supposed to start at 8AM which is about four minutes away. Four minutes he could either spend hiding in the locker room in order to not confront his past _or_ four minutes he could spend walking out into the café and looking every bit the confident young man he is. Jaemin is not nearly as confident as he thinks he is, but he _is_ stubborn and prideful. 

He leaves the locker room and heads back to the front counter. 

When he reaches his destination he sees Jeno smiling and laughing with a boy on the other side of the counter. The boy is shorter than him with silver hair, and he’s brightly smiling at Jeno too. Suddenly Jaemin feels like he’s intruding. Maybe he can make it back to the locker room and just stay there for two minutes more. 

“Oh, Jeno!” A voice booms from behind him and Jaemin feels a large hand coming to rest on his shoulder. Nevermind about the locker room. He looks up to see Johnny and gulps. The manager starts pushing him in the direction of the counter and Jaemin has to stop himself from digging his heels into the ground. No, wait, he’s not ready for this. He’s not ready at all! When Jeno turns around and sees him with Johnny the smile slides off his face and Jaemin ignores the way it stings, just a little bit. Johnny starts talking again and he’s glad for the distraction. “Jeno. Jaemin here is our new worker. Can you help train him since Yerim is off for the week?” 

“Oh, sure, hyung,” he says. His smile is so awkward it hurts, but Johnny seems to be ignoring it or is oblivious to Jeno’s discomfort. He leaves them alone after slapping Jaemin on the back and heading to his office. 

Jaemin doesn’t say anything and scuffs his shoe over the tiles, looking anywhere but Jeno as he waits. 

“Just, uh, one second, Jaemin,” he says, then turns back to the boy he’d been talking to. Now that Jaemin is closer he can see that the stranger is quite pretty. He has a small nose and sparkling eyes, and his cheeks are still red from the cold outside, giving him a cherubic appearance. Jaemin looks away when the boy catches him staring and pretends he isn’t listening in on their conversation. “Sorry, Renjun, I gotta get back to work.” 

“It’s fine. I was supposed to leave like five minutes ago anyways.” 

“Then hurry up!” Jeno laughs and Jaemin looks at him again, seeing the side of his face. He looks nice when he laughs. “You’re never late for art.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the coffee, and text me on your breaks!” 

“I will! Movie night still on?” 

“Still on. See you later!” 

“Bye!” 

The bell on the door chimes as it opens and closes. Now Jaemin is alone with Jeno again, trying to calm the frantic beating of his heart. Is it because he feels guilty for back then? Is it because Jeno is suddenly so attractive? Is it because Jaemin is nervous? 

“Jaemin?” 

He jumps out of his daze and sees Jeno staring at him. He looks a little worried, but Jaemin just waves his hands and tries to smile. 

“Sorry, must have zoned out,” he says, clearing his throat before standing straight. “Uh, anyways, you’ll be training me?” 

“Yeah. Yerim is the other barista here, but she’s on vacation right now, so...I’ll be training you...” 

Neither boy says anything after that. The atmosphere is a little uncomfortable and Jaemin wonders if he can avoid bringing up the past at all. The bell on the front door jingles and both boys are jolted out of their awkward staring contest. Jeno coughs into his fist and attempts another smile in Jaemin’s direction as their very first – technically second – customer of the day walks closer. 

“Do you know how to use a cash register?” 

“No.” 

“Let me teach you then. Welcome, Mrs. Choi. Your usual?” 

Jaemin didn’t think it was going to be _that_ obvious that he’s never had a job before. He forgets which button to press to open the till even after Jeno explains it to him for the fifth time. He uses the wrong coffee machine to attempt someone’s order and it’s unusable until Johnny comes to clean it. Oh, and Jaemin also manages to drop an entire tray of raspberry pastries when placing them in the display case – they were the café's most popular food item. 

All in all, his first day is a disaster. As is the second and third and fourth days. 

He makes minor improvements under Jeno’s tutelage, but really, the whole cause for Jaemin’s lack of coordination and focus is Jeno himself. At first it was just because of how awkward they were. No one goes from best friends to strangers so quickly unless one of them does it on purpose (which _is_ what Jaemin did). He thought he’d never see Jeno again so he never felt guilty for it until now. The other part of it may be because Jeno is...attractive. Jaemin can admit this much, from a purely objective point of view. Jeno is handsome and well-built. When he smiles it makes even the most grumpy customer change their tune. Jaemin catches himself staring at Jeno more often than not, and turning away when the other boy looks in his direction. Jaemin can’t be having such feelings, especially when he and Jeno aren’t even on regular speaking terms. 

“Can you wipe down the tables, please, Jaemin?” 

“Sure.” 

Their conversations aren’t even conversations. Just Jeno asking Jaemin to take care of this or that and Jeno teaching Jaemin how to do different jobs around the café and he doesn’t say anything outside of those specific parameters. To be fair, Jaemin isn’t saying anything outside of them either. 

For a week they dance around each other, avoiding the elephant in the room. 

It’s only when Yerim returns to the café that things start changing again. When Jaemin first meets her his first impression is that she’s short and spunky. He thinks she could kill him in his sleep if she so wished, and it doesn’t help that she notices the awkwardness between Jeno and him right away. When she approaches him after two days of observing the tension Jaemin has to stop himself from running in the opposite direction. He’s just barely managed to curb that instinct whenever he sees Johnny. 

“You should talk to him.” 

“Who?” 

“Jeno. You should talk to him. He’s interested in, like, anime and NASA and stuff.” _Huh, still the same interests then_. “But he’s also super shy, so you’ll have to talk to him first.” 

“Why do I have to talk to him?” 

The girl looks at him with a deadpan expression, “You stare at him with, like, longing, romance-novel type longing. Just talk to him. Maybe you’ll finally get somewhere.” 

When she walks away Jaemin shakes his head and gets back to refilling the chocolate sauce. Yerim’s words stick with him and he frowns to himself. Longing? He’s only staring at Jeno because...well, because...it’s hard not to. They’re awkward with each other and Jeno is objectively handsome, those are the only two reasons Jaemin could have for staring. Absolutely. 

>\---<

“How’s your new job going?” 

“It’s...good.” 

“Really? So you’re not going to quit?” 

“No. Not yet. When I get my money back I’m definitely quitting.” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Did you remember that we have a biology quiz tomorrow?” 

“Shit!” 

>\---<

Funnily enough it really was Yerim’s words that got Jaemin to finally do something three days later. He’s already accepted his fate as a barista (much to Donghyuck’s delight) and Jaemin decides it’d be better if he and Jeno weren’t so awkward. It’s purely a business move. 

The opportunity comes to him when he catches Jeno on his phone during break watching an episode of some anime Jaemin doesn’t know the name of. 

“You still watch that stuff?” he asks, blinking when Jeno’s head whips up and he stares at the younger with wide eyes. Immediately after a blush paints itself across his cheeks and he looks down, letting his hair fall over his glasses. His hair is black now and Jaemin likes the color on him, even when it reminds him too much of the old Jeno. 

“Uh, yeah...” 

Jaemin doesn’t know why he says it, “Cute.” He doesn’t know why Jeno blushing and turning away in embarrassment makes him feel all giddy. His brain rationalizes it as them finally starting to get along and Jaemin thinks it’s a step in the right direction. So he keeps at it. 

“You still big on NASA and all that stuff?” he asks. It’s a holiday so the café closes early around mid-afternoon. They’re wiping down tables and cleaning any surfaces they can find. Jaemin is working on a particularly tough coffee stain on the corner table while Jeno cleans the windows. 

“Oh, uh, yeah,” he finally responds, and in the corner of his eye Jaemin can see the tell-tale blush of his cheeks. 

“You still have those magazines? The really old ones with the interviews?” 

“You remember those?” 

Jaemin stops himself from immediately replying with _of course I do_. Instead he clears his throat and shrugs, “Just something I remembered right now. Also, your phone background is stars.” 

“Oh. Well, anyways, yeah, I still have them. New ones too.” 

“New space stuff for you to read about?” 

Jeno pushes his glasses up from where they’re sliding down the bridge of his nose. Again, Jaemin ignores the how and why of his brain thinking it’s cute. Jeno is cute. 

“New stuff for me to learn about, yeah. I could...” The older bites his lip and stops wiping the window for a second, as if he’s thinking really hard about something. A moment later he starts moving again and out comes the question. “I could show you? If you want. Probably not, space and stuff is boring. Just forget I said anythi-” 

“Show me.” 

“Huh?” 

Jeno is finally looking at him now with a surprised expression and Jaemin smiles at him, trying to reassure the older he supposes. He doesn’t want Jeno to be so jumpy and fidgety around him anymore. As long as they avoid talking about what happened Jaemin thinks they could get along again. 

“Show me. Your space stuff. It’s not boring.” 

“You said it was boring.” 

Right, Jaemin did say that, a long time ago. His smile falters for a moment and he shrugs. 

“That was a long time ago,” he says. "Please show me your stars, Jeno?” 

Jeno swallows and turns away. 

“Right. Sure. I’ll bring in one of my books tomorrow.” 

They both return to silently cleaning after that, getting the rest of the café tidied up for the day. Jaemin sneaks glances over at Jeno once or twice and sees the small smile on the older boy’s face. He ignores the butterflies in his stomach. 

Like he promised Jeno brings in a book about the Milky Way Galaxy the next day. Jaemin lets him read off the pages during their mutual break while Yerim mans the counter on their slow hour. 

The way Jeno’s eyes light up when he reads about a planet he really likes or a star that’s super interesting to him is actually...really endearing, if Jaemin wants to put it into words. He still thinks stars and galaxies and all that are utterly boring, but he’s not going to tell Jeno. Jaemin likes listening to him talk about the thing he’s passionate about because he gets to see a Jeno that isn’t so painfully shy. 

Until he notices Jaemin staring. 

“What are you looking at?” Jeno asks, raising the book to hide his face in it while Jaemin laughs at how adorable the action is. He’s starting to think that every action Jeno does is adorable in some way. 

“Nothing. It’s just,” Jaemin bites his lip and shrugs. “You’re really into stars and stuff. It’s cute.” 

“Stop saying that.” 

Even behind the pages of his book Jaemin can see the blush on Jeno’s cheeks. He reaches out to push the book down slightly, so he can see Jeno’s eyes and half of his nose, and grins at the older boy. 

“Never.” 

Jeno scrunches his nose and starts closing his book, but Jaemin slips his fingers between the pages and stops him. 

“Tell me more.” 

“Really?” 

“Really.” For once in his life Jaemin is sincere. Jeno smiles softly at him and nods, but still closes the book. 

“Later. Break is over.” 

“Ah, right, work.” 

“Think you can make Mr. Kim’s latte without breaking the machine today?” 

“Ohoho, joking now, are we? I’m sure I can.” 

Jaemin does not, in fact, make Mr. Kim’s coffee without breaking the machine, and Jeno has to finish it for him so the customer doesn’t blow a gasket in the middle of the café. Even after that debacle all Jaemin can think about is the next time he’ll get to hear Jeno talk to him about his stars. 

>\---<

“Someone’s excited to go to work.” 

“Shut up, Donghyuck. Nobody asked you.” 

“Seriously though, did something happen? For like your first week I had to practically drag you out of bed to get you to go to the café. Now you’re all...smiling and shit.” 

“Nothing happened.” 

“Is it the free coffee?” 

“Sure.” 

“Is it the free pastries?” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“Is it...a boy?” 

“...” 

“Oh my God, it is!” 

“I’m going to work now. Later, loser.” 

“No, wait, Jaemin! Tell me about this mystery boy!” 

>\---<

It’s been a month now since Jaemin has started working at the café and he has to admit it’s not actually all that bad. Whether or not it’s because Jeno is there he has yet to decide. The entitled customers still get on Jaemin’s nerves, and he can’t seem to go even a few days without breaking one of the coffee machines, but he finds himself looking forward to his time spent at his job (especially his breaks, _most_ _definitely_ the breaks). 

Eventually the time he spends with Jeno when they’re not working goes beyond the older just reading his books out loud. He seems to have worked up the courage to talk to Jaemin about the other things he likes too. 

Right now Jeno is currently holding his phone up for the both of them to see as animated characters move across the screen. The colors are extremely bright and the music is cute. It’s some anime that Jaemin has never heard of before (and Donghyuck would no doubt skin him alive for saying so), but Jaemin is trying to pay attention, for Jeno’s sake. 

“Who’s the blonde guy again?” 

“Takumi.” 

“And the...maid girl?” 

“Misaki. Have you...been paying attention at all?” 

“Um...maybe? I’m just not good with names, sorry.” Jaemin chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. They’re comfortable enough with each other now that Jeno looks at him with an unimpressed expression and Jaemin sticks his tongue out at him in retaliation. Both boys fall silent and continue to watch the screen, attempting to finish the episode before their break is over. A few minutes later Jaemin speaks up again. 

“You know, there is one thing I like about this anime.” 

“Huh?” 

“It makes me think of how cute you’d be in a maid costume like Misano.” 

Jeno flushes scarlet next to him and almost drops his phone. “Her name is Misaki,” he says, turning off the device and shoving it into his pocket as Jaemin laughs. 

“I was kidding, Jeno.” he grins. “Partially.” 

“Sh-shut up, you idiot. Mrs. Lee is going to be here soon for her afternoon tea.” 

“Fuck her afternoon tea.” 

“Jaemin!” 

Maybe Jeno laughs a little at Jaemin’s vulgar statement, and maybe Jaemin laughs along with him, and maybe, just maybe, Jaemin feels like everything is going alright. 

Of course, the feeling doesn’t last for long. 

The elephant in the room is still there. No matter how much Jaemin tries to ignore it it’s still there. Even when Jeno and him are laughing together, or watching anime on Jeno’s phone or listening to music while cleaning the café - it’s still there. _It_ being the guilt that’s been gnawing at Jaemin ever since they met again in the locker room. Guilt for essentially leaving Jeno behind in their freshman year of high school because Jaemin was “too cool” to associate with a nerd. (He realizes now that he was just being an idiot, but it’s still hard to say it out loud.) 

The guilt just keeps festering like an old wound and Jaemin doesn’t know how much longer he can avoid it. So it makes sense that one day it just kind of...spills over. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“What?” 

Jeno looks over at Jaemin halfway across the café, his brow furrowed a bit in confusion and just a little worry. He carefully leans his mop against one of the tables and walks over to the younger boy. Jaemin takes a deep breath and starts talking. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes, shaking his head to stop Jeno from speaking as the older opens his mouth. “I mean, I’m sorry...for what I did to you. Way back when we were 14 and I ditched you for Jung Jaehyun because I thought he was cool.” 

“He was pretty cool.” 

“He was, but I shouldn’t have idolized him like I did. I pushed away a lot of things that were important to me...like you.” 

“Like me?” 

“Yes. Don’t make me repeat it.” 

“Sorry, it’s just...” Now it’s Jeno’s turn to look nervous as he avoids meeting Jaemin’s gaze. He rubs the back of his neck and shrugs, “It’s nice, to hear you say it out loud. I was wondering why...you were being so nice to me after we met again. I thought maybe it was just to make you feel better about it.” _Ouch_. 

“I swear, I wasn’t-” 

“I know now that it wasn’t, okay?” Jeno smiles a little then. “I guess I’m just happy that you said sorry. All this time I thought I did something wrong to make you drop me, you know?” 

“Never.” 

“Right. It’s just nice to know. I was really...it really affected my self-esteem back then. I barely talked to anybody until like junior year because you were, had been, my only friend.” Jaemin knows this. He can’t lie and say he didn’t notice Jeno sitting at lunch tables by himself and studying alone in the back of the library. The ache in his heart gets larger and larger as he remembers more and more of what happened. 

“I’m so sorry, Jeno. Really. I wish there was some way I could make it up to you.” 

“You already have.” 

“I have?” 

“You’re my friend now, aren’t you?” _You’re my friend_ . For a split second Jaemin looks at Jeno and sees the boy from five years ago that used to be his best friend. That image fades into the current Jeno and finally – _finally_ – Jaemin feels at ease. Comfortable. Happy. 

“Really?” he asks, grinning at the older. 

“Really. Don’t make me repeat it, Nana, it’s embarrassing.” 

Jaemin gasps, “You called me Nana!” 

“Sh-shut up.” 

“Oh, that’s so cute, _Nono_.” 

“Oh my God, please stop.” 

“Never!” 

So things are going great in Jaemin’s life. Jeno and him are friends again, his job at the café isn’t as horrible as he initially thought it would be and he might actually be bringing his grades up (slowly, but they’re getting there). Donghyuck also no longer threatens him about locking him out of the apartment. Probably because he was right that Jaemin does kind of enjoy going to his job (he’ll admit now that yes, he enjoys it because of Jeno, and some of the nice customers). 

“What’s up, sluts?” 

The door to the café bangs open and Donghyuck walks inside. Jaemin rolls his eyes behind the counter as the other patrons glare at Donghyuck before returning to whatever they were doing. 

“Not so loud, idiot. What are you doing here anyways?” 

“Uh, to order some coffee. Duh.” 

“Then can you just fucking order and leave.” 

“I’m hurt, Jaemin. I thought we were closer than this.” Jaemin glares at him worse than the annoyed customers and Donghyuck relents. “Fine, fine. I really do want some coffee. Can you make me an iced Americano?” 

“Of course, most valued customer.” 

Jaemin grits his teeth and starts making Donghyuck’s coffee immediately. (Totally not because he wants him out of the café as soon as possible.) It’s the slow part of the day right now and Jaemin can handle the counter by himself for a little bit. 

“So...where’s this mystery boy of yours?” 

He almost drops Donghyuck’s cup and spills a good third of the iced coffee all over the table and the machine. Donghyuck snickers from behind the counter and Jaemin would totally attempt to murder him with a plastic straw if he wasn’t on the job. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” he says, not bothering to add more coffee to Donghyuck’s cup and snapping the lid onto it. 

Just as he’s about to give him his order and make the transaction so Donghyuck will _leave_ Jeno comes back from his short break. Jaemin’s demeanor changes completely when he spots the older and a smile slides on his lips. He’s always smiling around Jeno now. Jaemin leaves Donghyuck’s cup on the counter and practically ignores him as Jeno comes up to the register. 

“Hey, have a good break?” 

“Yeah. Johnny hyung wanted to talk about work plans for the holidays.” 

“Did you eat though?” 

“I had a snack.” Jeno chuckles and nods at Jaemin. “I promise I ate. Did you ring him up yet?” he asks then, nodding towards the counter where Donghyuck is still standing. Jaemin turns to see him smiling evilly and wishes he wasn’t in public so he could choke the expression off the older boy’s face. 

“So that’s your mystery boy?” he whispers as Jaemin takes his cash for the coffee and starts counting up his change. 

“Shut up. He’s going to hear you.” Jaemin hisses. He fumbles with one of the quarters before practically slamming the till shut and shoving the money into Donghyuck’s hand. The older boy sips his coffee thoughtfully and grins. 

“Maybe I should tell him about-” 

Someone coughs behind him and both boys look at the source of the noise. It’s another customer, the same boy Jaemin recognizes as Renjun. Early on he’d learned that Renjun was actually Jeno’s dormmate for college and that he was a scholarship student from China pursuing an art degree. After Jaemin had gotten over his initial jealousy at how close the boy was with Jeno they’d actually become somewhat friends. He’s also learned that Renjun doesn’t like rude, annoying people – like Donghyuck, for example. 

“Excuse me. I’d like to order.” Even though he’s the shortest of all four boys his crossed arms and glare make him the most intimidating. Donghyuck backs away to the other side of the counter and...is that a blush on his cheeks? Jaemin looks back and forth between Donghyuck and Renjun as Jeno takes over the register (he’s the only one who can make Renjun’s convoluted order right). Donghyuck is staring at the boy and when Renjun notices his glare intensifies before he looks away. Interesting... 

“Say, Donghyuck, what’s this about your mystery boy?” 

Donghyuck’s face is full on scarlet now and Jaemin grins as he starts walking away. 

Later that night Donghyuck texts Jaemin – even though they’re in the same apartment – asking if he knows the number of “the pretty silver haired boy with the cute nose that looks like he could chop my dick off and I’d be okay with it.” Jaemin asks Jeno for his number through text – because they do that now, text each other – and when he asks why Jaemin tells him he’ll find out soon. He gives Renjun’s number to Donghyuck after he makes the older boy promise not to come into the café again. He doesn’t need Donghyuck ruining...whatever it is that he’s got going on with Jeno. _Friendship_. Just friendship. 

Turns out being friends isn’t that simple. Not when you kind of have this uncontrollable desire to kiss the daylights out of said friend. Jaemin is pretty sure he’d never want to kiss Donghyuck in a million years. Jeno on the other hand... 

Jeno looks like he has nice lips for kissing. He’s always applying lip balm whenever his lips start to dry, and it smells a little bit like frosting. Jaemin would know. Jeno let him use it once when he complained about Jaemin’s lips cracking and bleeding from his lack of any chapstick or lip balm. Not only would Jeno’s lips be soft, they’d probably be warm, what with all the hot chocolate he drinks during their work hours. He doesn’t consume copious amounts of caffeine like Jaemin does, and now that he really thinks about it Jaemin is sure that Jeno would taste sweet. Like chocolate and sugar. 

It doesn’t help that Jaemin still thinks he’s insanely attractive as well. He hasn’t stopped thinking about seeing Jeno’s toned stomach on that first day they met again in the locker room. Those memories have kind of been the fuel for Jaemin’s dreams lately. 

Yeah, it’s definitely not anything platonic he’s feeling for Jeno at this point. So it’s a good thing that Jeno feels the same too. 

At least, Jaemin thinks he does. 

Sometimes he’ll notice Jeno staring at him when he thinks Jaemin isn’t looking. Or there are the times when Jeno bites his lip and he’s blushing about _something_ but Jaemin hasn’t said anything to him to make him embarrassed. 

It should be easier now to talk about such things considering they are friends again, but Jaemin just isn’t sure how he should phrase it. He can’t just go up to Jeno and be like, “Actually I like you more than a friend and I really wanna make out with you in the locker room. Is that cool?” Jeno would probably run away as soon as Jaemin mentioned anything about kissing. Or hugging. Or hand-holding. Jeno’s hand would probably nice to hold, warm and soft. He’s making Jaemin all mushy without even knowing it and Jaemin knows now that he never wants Jeno out of his life ever again. 

In the end he does manage to get his act together and confess. He goes for a simple route because he’s sure Jeno would appreciate it over something more intense and extravagant. Jaemin even does it while they’re at work. Which he will admit is not the most romantic place for a love confession, but he’s working with what he’s got. 

Jeno is reading one of his space books to him and Jaemin is smiling just because. 

“Hey, Jeno.” 

“Hm?” 

Jeno doesn’t look up from his book quite yet. He’s frowning cutely as he takes a second or two to mark his spot for when he’ll start reading again. That’s when Jaemin says it. 

“Will you tell me about your stars for the rest of our lives?” 

He can’t help the laugh that slips out of his mouth when Jeno’s stares at him in shock. Jaemin’s brain is a constant relay of _cute, cute, cute_ as he watches Jeno put two and two together. His mouth opens and closes before he finally gets the words out. 

“What do you mean?” 

“I mean I really like listening to you talk about stars and your weird anime and your cats and...I’d really like it if you’d keep doing it. Preferably just with me. Make sense?” 

“Are you trying to say you...like...me?” 

“Yes, Jeno. I like you.” 

“Oh.” 

“Oh?” 

For a second Jaemin thinks maybe he’s gotten it all wrong. Maybe the years they spent apart really were too much and he doesn’t know Jeno as well as he thinks he does. Then Jeno destroys those fears when he smiles at Jaemin, bright and radiant with his eyes forming small crescents. 

“I like you too, Jaemin.” 

“Really?” 

“Really. I want to tell you all about my stars and my totally not weird anime and my amazing cats.” 

“Oh.” 

Jeno snickers before it turns into an actual laugh, and Jaemin thinks he’s the most beautiful when he’s happy like this. 

“Can I kiss you now?” 

When Jeno hides behind his book like the first time he read to Jaemin the younger is the one laughing now. Jeno refuses to kiss him only because they’re still at work and there are customers sitting out on the floor. Jaemin has never wanted a shift to end faster than that day. 

He does find out that he was right. Jeno’s lips are soft and he tastes like chocolate when Jaemin licks into his mouth. He’s so sweet, and his eyes are full of the stars he loves and Jaemin is glad his father terminated his credit card all those months ago. He never would have met Jeno again if it wasn’t for that. (He still wants his money back, but he thinks can wait a little longer if Jeno keeps kissing him like he is now.) 

**BONUS**

“Why are you so pretty?” 

Jeno whines and pulls him in with hands on the back of his neck, pressing their lips together again as Jaemin pushes him into the island. His palm rests in the dip of Jeno’s spine as the boy bends backwards for him while simultaneously pushing forward to keep the kiss connected. At some point Jaemin licks at Jeno’s lips and Jeno opens his mouth, their breath mingling. Jaemin tugs at Jeno’s shirt and slips his hand underneath it. 

“Oh my God,” Jeno gasps against his lips as Jaemin’s palm slides over his stomach. 

“You’re so fucking ripped,” Jaemin says, fingertips dipping into the ridges of Jeno’s abs and he delights in the way Jeno jumps at his touch. “Couldn’t stop thinking about these that first day in the locker room when you had your shirt stuck around your head.” 

“No, that’s so embarrassing,” Jeno whines again and buries his face in Jaemin’s shoulder, and the younger leans down to kiss the top of his head. 

“How can someone be so cute and hot at the same time?” 

“Ask yourself that.” Jeno mumbles, and Jaemin laughs, trailing his fingers higher and higher, up to Jeno’s chest. One of his fingers brushes against Jeno’s nipple and the older let’s out an involuntary moan. 

“Are you always this sensitive?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe, ah,” Jaemin flicks the hard nub again and feels a thrill of pleasure run through him as Jeno jolts and shivers under his touch. He wants to kiss him senseless and play with him until the rest of his body blushes as bright as cheeks and all he can do is beg Jaemin for more. “Touch me, please, Jaemin.” 

“As you wish.” 

“Not. So. Fast.” 

A hand slams against the wall of the kitchen and the boys jump apart from each other. Standing in the entrance is Johnny brandishing a cookie sheet and an angry glare. Neither Jaemin nor Jeno will admit to screaming and running out of the café before he can even say anything to them. 

“No making out in my kitchen!” is what they think they hear as the run down the street holding hands and giggling like schoolchildren. 

“We can always make out at home.” 

“Yours or mine?” 

“Anywhere is fine as long as I’m with you.” 

“Ew, stop being so cheesy.” 

“Only when you stop being so cute.” 

“Shut up!”


End file.
